“While 3D printer sales will experience healthy growth over the next four years, consumer machines remain a technology in search of a purpose, according to researcher IDC,” Lucas Mearian reports for Computerworld.
“The largest technology segment within the 3D printing market is fused filament fabrication or fused deposition modeling (FDM/FFF). Last year, FFF or FDM printers made up 76% of the 3D printers shipped in the U.S.,” Mearian reports. “While the majority of those printers are at the low end of the market, the consumer segment ‘has clearly not materialized as many had predicted,’ IDC said.”
“‘I know it is a bit of a cliché, but I believe the ‘killer app’ that would drive 3D printing in the consumer space has not materialized yet,’ said Tim Greene, research director for IDC’s Hardcopy Solutions,” Mearian reports.
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: It’s still early days in consumer 3D printing. Let’s give it a chance first before writing it off!